I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to closures for containers which provide some means for indicating if the container has been opened or tampered with. Such indicators are particularly useful for containers for non-perscription drugs and other consumable products which may be ingested or otherwise applied to the user. The tamper indicating means serves to alert a prospective user as well as store personnel that an attempt has been made to tamper with the product in a container.
II. Descriptoin of Prior Art
Many types of indicators and arrangements of container closures have been proposed to warn of tampering of containers for medicine and other products such as are usually available "on the shelf", of pharmacies, grocery stores, etc.
In some instances metallic covers have been pressed onto the containers and extended over the typical covers normally opened and closed in dispensing the material within the containers in everyday use. To reach the inner cover the metallic cover must be destroyed or at least be so damaged as to present a marked difference from its usual or normal appearance. Such a difference in appearance will serve to warn of possible tampering.
In other instances sections of a cover like closure for the container are secured to other portions of the closure in such a manner that entry to the container requires breaking of a section of the cover.
In yet other instances interior and exterior members of a closure system interfit in such a manner that relative movement between the two is required in order to gain access. However, any such movement results in disfigurement and partial opening of an exterior member in a manner that will be clearly discernable by a prospective purchaser. Some tamper indicating closures employ upper outer sections which are secured to other portions of a cap or the like along weakened tear lines, and include ring like members which can be grasped to rip the outer section away along the tear lines thus exposing the contents or an inner cover member.